Alejandro Casona

Alejandro Casona (1903–1965), pen name of Alejandro Rodríguez Álvarez in Asturias, was a prominent Spanish playwright of the Generation of ‘27, a group of writers that tried to bridge the gap between Spanish popular culture and folklore, classical literary tradition and European avant-gardes. Because of his support for the Republic during the Spanish Civil War, he was forced to leave Spain, causing him to spend his years in Argentina and across Latin America, where he became a celebrated figure of the stage. His plays reflect a blend of fantasy and reality, exploring themes of human happiness, idealism, truth, and the tension between dreams and everyday life. Although his works were censored and often restricted under Franco’s regime, Casona returned to Spain in 1962 and continued writing until his death three years later.

Famous works include:

• La Sirena Varada (The Stranded Mermaid, 1937) - a play following a man who falls in love with a mermaid, exploring themes of dreams and practicality by blending fantasy and reality together.

• La Dama del Alba (The Lady of Dawn, 1944) - a play following Death personified in a village in Spain, exploring themes of destiny, life, and death.

• La Barca Sin Pescador (The Boat Without a Fisherman, 1945) - a play following a man who makes a pact with the devil to recover his lost fortune in exchange for a person’s death, exploring themes of morality, guilt, and redemption.

• Los árboles mueren de pie (Trees Die Standing Tall, 1949) - a play following a grandfather who hires someone to replace his supposedly dead grandson, exploring themes of truth, love, family, and appearance.

Awards:

• Lope de Vega Prize (1934)